Small towns have long been fertile ground for unsettling stories, where quiet streets often hide extraordinary secrets. When the ordinary rhythm of life is disrupted, it is the people there who feel it first, forced to confront truths bigger than themselves. Netflix is once again tapping into that eerie small-town energy with The Boroughs, a new sci-fi series from the Duffer Brothers.

The creative sibling duo’s involvement with the offering is not as elaborate as Stranger Things, but their names being linked to the project has been enough to generate buzz around its release.

The Boroughs, executive produced by the Duffer Brothers and created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, is set in a quiet retirement community in the New Mexico desert, where a group of unlikely heroes has to face a strange, otherworldly threat that steals time. The show mixes suspense, humor, and supernatural mystery across eight episodes, with Ben Taylor directing several, including the pilot. Though it is reported to hit Netflix later this year, the platform has not shared an official release date yet.

The cast of The Boroughs is full of familiar and talented faces. Alfred Molina plays Sam, Geena Davis is Renee, and Alfre Woodard stars as Judy. Denis O’Hare, Clarke Peters, and Bill Pullman also appear, along with Jena Malone, Carlos Miranda, Seth Numrich, and Alice Kremelberg.

Supporting actors include Rafael Casal, Dee Wallace, Ed Begley Jr., Jane Kaczmarek, Eric Edelstein, and Mousa Hussein Kraish. Notably, this is not the only project the Duffer Brothers have lined up at Netflix following the conclusion of Stranger Things.

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The following Duffer Brothers-backed project is also set to release in 2026, but a debut date for this, too, is yet to be unveiled.

Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen is an upcoming American horror-drama series created by Haley Z. Boston, with Boston also serving as executive producer alongside the Duffer Brothers. The story follows engaged couple Rachel and Nicky, whose plans for their wedding are derailed when, as the title suggests, something very bad gets in the way. The cast includes Camila Morrone, Adam DiMarco, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ted Levine, Jeff Wilbusch, Karla Crome, Gus Birney, and Zlatko Burić. 

With The Boroughs and Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen set for 2026, the Duffer Brothers’ relationship with Netflix appears to be entering a new phase. The streamer, however, is not backing every pitch tied to its name, instead placing its bets selectively. With the platform recently having shelved a production from them, how audiences respond to the projects discussed here will ultimately decide what the post-Stranger Things future looks like for the Duffers on the platform.

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How soon do you think The Boroughs and Something Bad is Going to Happen will arrive on Netflix? Let us know in the comments.